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Importing Live Poultry into the

United States

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Import Alert

Effective October 1, 2023:

All live poultry imports (except Columbiformes) and poultry hatching eggs that

originate from or transit France are prohibited.

Imports of live ducks and duck hatching eggs from the European Poultry Trade

Region and the European Free Trade Association countries are prohibited.

European Poultry Trade Region

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,

Germany, Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales), Greece, Hungary, Ireland

(Republic of), Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Northern

Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
European Free Trade Association

Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines poultry as chickens, doves,

ducks, geese, grouse, guinea fowl, partridges, pea fowl, pheasants, quail, swans,

and turkeys. This page explains how to import all live poultry, except pigeons and

doves (Columbiformes). 

With few exceptions, live poultry may not be imported from or transit through

countries or zones affected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

USDA requires the following for all live poultry imports:

USDA Import Permit

Veterinary Export Health Certificate

Port Inspection

Import Quarantine
USDA requirements for transiting live poultry through the United States are

detailed in the USDA Transit Process below. 

For information on importing pigeons and doves (Columbiformes) see Importing

Columbiformes into the United States.

How To Import Live Poultry

USDA Import Permit

Live poultry shipments must be accompanied by a USDA import permit unless

the shipment is from Canada and presents at a U.S. land border port of entry. 

Importers may apply for an import permit online using the APHIS eFile system.

Alternatively, importers may submit a paper application using VS Form 17-129

Application for Import or In Transit Permit (73.07 KB).

Importers must submit the import permit application at least 7 business days

prior to shipping birds.

The permit application processing fee can be paid by check, money order,

charge card, or by providing a USDA User Fee account.

The original import permit is valid for 30 days and must accompany all live

poultry shipments.

Veterinary Export Health Certificate

Live poultry imported from any region of the world must be accompanied by a

health certificate in English or with English translation that is:

Issued by a salaried veterinarian of the national government of the

exporting region OR

Issued by a certifying official AND

Endorsed by the competent authority of that country,

Any allowable or required deviations of endorsement will be specified on

the import permit.

Certain exporting countries have a specific health certificate for live poultry.

Other countries may use the U.S. model health certificate for live poultry or

their own document that contains the same requirements as the model.

Canada: Avian - Live Poultry - Canada - Health Certificate (413.57 KB) –

June 2022
European Poultry Trade Region (EPTR): Avian - Live Poultry - EPTR - Health

Certificate (538.54 KB) - December 2023

Other countries: Avian - Live Poultry - Not EPTR - Model Health Certificate

(290.95 KB) - December 2023

Port Inspection

A USDA port veterinarian must inspect live poultry at the first U.S. port of entry,

unless otherwise indicated on the import permit.

The importer must arrange for this inspection at least 72 hours in advance by

contacting the USDA port veterinarian, whose contact information is listed on

the import permit.

Inspection consists of a visual inspection of the shipment, export health

certificate, and U.S. import permit. You can find user fee rates for inspection

services on the APHIS web page VS Import/Export User Fees.

Import Quarantine

Live poultry imported from areas of Canada that are not restricted due to highly

pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or Newcastle disease, and that have not

transited such areas, do not require quarantine.

Other live poultry (not including hatching eggs) must undergo a minimum of 30

days quarantine at a USDA Animal Import Center listed below or a USDAapproved private quarantine facility. For guidance on establishing a private

quarantine, see Veterinary Services Documents). Initial USDA approval of a

private quarantine facility may take several months; USDA routinely confirms

approval before issuing the import permit.

Importers seeking to quarantine at a USDA Animal Import Center should make

reservations directly with the center of choice before the shipment arrives.

USDA must confirm the reservation before issuing the import permit.

Fees include, but are not limited to, port inspection, laboratory testing that

occurs during quarantine, and the quarantine stay. You can find user fee rates

on the APHIS website at VS Import/Export User Fees. The USDA Animal Import

Center will provide an estimate of the overall cost of quarantine.

Birds are tested in quarantine to determine if they are free of certain

communicable diseases. The cost of diagnostic testing is separate from the

quarantine fee.
USDA Animal Import Centers

For quarantine-related questions, contact one of the following USDA Animal Import

Center quarantine facilities:

Miami Animal Import Center

USDA-APHIS-VS

6300 NW 36 St.

Miami, FL 33122

Phone: 305-876-2200

Fax: 305-876-2201

notifymaic@usda.gov

New York Animal Import Center

USDA-APHIS-VS

474 International Blvd.

Rock Tavern, NY 12575

Phone: 845-838-5500

Fax: 845-838-5575

vspsnic@usda.gov

USDA Transit Process

Live poultry shipments transiting the United States from the exporting country

to a third country destination must be accompanied by a USDA transit permit

and a contingency plan as described in VSG 13404.2 Transit Shipments of Live

Animal Commodities (479.88 KB).

The process for applying for the transit permit is the same as for the import

permit (see USDA Import Permit section). Denoting the route of travel on the

application distinguishes the type of permit requested.

USDA oversees transit shipments while in the United States. The importer must

arrange for USDA services at least 72 hours in advance by contacting the USDA

port veterinarian listed on the transit permit.

The importer must submit the contingency plan with the permit application and

the request for service at the U.S. transit port.

The transit permit lists any special instructions for the importer and port staff.

For more information, see VSG 13404.2 Transit Shipments of Live Animal
Commodities (479.88 KB) and Notice Regarding APHIS Live Animal Import and

Third-Country Import Transit Permits (272.29 KB).

View VS Guidance and Other Documents for Avian Importation

Questions?

Live Animal Import Permit Team

Contact APHIS' Live Animal Import Permit team if you have questions before you

apply for a permit.

For questions about import permits or permit applications:

Live Animal Import Permit Team

Email: laipermits@usda.gov

Phone: 301-851-3000

APHIS Port Services

For questions about import inspections at a port of entry, quarantine of animals

arriving from a foreign country, or requesting approval as a private animal import

quarantine facility, contact APHIS Port Services.

- Select a State - ▾

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Live Animal Import and Export

Contact APHIS' Live Animal Import and Export team for questions about current

trade restrictions, or other questions not related to permits.

For general questions related to the import of a live animal:
Live Animal Import and Export

Email: laie@usda.gov

Phone: 301-851-3300

All Contacts